Being Mindful Stories

Joke · Ajahn Brahm

The hearse in the carpool lane

As told by Ajahn Brahm in Stress - Overreaction to Life | Ajahn Brahm | 9 March 2018

1 min read

Content note: death humour; unverified

The story — as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)

Or the other guy. They install this was in New York or San Francisco somewhere You know they have these these lanes for two or more people You know so you know the because so many people drive their cars only a single person in the car And that's what causes also traffic and so some jurisdictions. They have lanes especially two or more people and Then policeman stopped a funeral hearse there's only one driver in there and the actually the driver took the police to court he Said well, I had the guy in the back that makes two Whom he lost his case some judges don't have a sense of humor

▶ Watch Ajahn Brahm tell it from 1:06:49 (to 1:07:35)

A reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)

A hearse driver argues in court that the passenger in the back counts toward the carpool lane, and loses. Ajahn Brahm's verdict is gentle: some judges have no sense of humour. Rules matter, and so does lightness. When life hands you a ruling that goes against you, you can still enjoy the joke.

In brief (our summary)

Stopped by police for driving a hearse alone in a two-or-more lane in New York or San Francisco, a driver argues in court that the man in the back makes two — and loses.

Teaching point

(Funeral humour; 'some judges don't have a sense of humour'.)

When this story may help

Themes

Source & credit

Told by Ajahn Brahm in Stress - Overreaction to Life | Ajahn Brahm | 9 March 2018 · 2018-03-18 · ▶ watch from 1:06:49 to 1:07:35 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia

Caption notes: Captions are unpunctuated with many mis-hearings although TubeAlfred marks them non-auto; words left as captioned.

The narrative is Ajahn Brahm's own telling, quoted from the talk captions. The summary and reflection are Being Mindful Stories's editorial notes. Please credit the teacher and link the original talk. Markdown version

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